Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
I was among the few who were surprised when it was announced that Tim Tebow was cut from the New England Patriots.
I really thought despite his poor preseason performance, Tebow represented the best option the Patriots had at backup quarterback. Maybe not a good option, but the best option at their disposal.
Sure, they would have to adjust their game plan to him. They would have to run the Tebow offense, which isn’t even as complicated as some high school schemes at this point. They would run the ball on almost every play, only sprinkling in the occasional play-action pass.
That seems crazy, right? Well, not only have we seen it done, we’ve seen it lead to wins. I wouldn’t want Tebow — even running his old-school offense — to be my starting quarterback. But, considering how hard it is to find good backup signal callers, I don’t mind him being the guy who comes in when the starter goes down.
Not only does Tebow give them a chance to win games if Tom Brady gets injured, keeping him on the roster also would have sent a positive message to the rest of the team. It tells them that character matters, a message the Patriots need to send after the Aaron Hernandez fiasco this summer.
Tebow will never be a viable option at quarterback in the NFL for some. He doesn’t throw a pretty ball and he doesn’t fit the mold of a traditional drop-back passer. What he does do is win. He’s won at every level of football he’s played — including the NFL.
The Patriots made a mistake cutting Tebow. They need his leadership, his toughness and his winning attitude. But, what they need the most is a backup quarterback who has proven he can win in the NFL.
Ben Sullivan is an NFL writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @bensullivan52, “Like” him on Facebook and add him to your network on Google.
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